"Perhaps not," was the reply; "I suppose your profits are enough to hire it done; but here is a shawl,—what is the price of it?"
"Five dollars, miss; and a good bargain at that." "Five dollars! O what a cheat!" and Fanny laid the shawl, all unfolded, upon the grass, where scissors, needles, buttons, tape, pins, &c., lay strewed in wild confusion. Once more the poor man wiped his forehead, and kept his patience. It is bad policy for the poor to lose their patience.
"There comes Mary Palmer, and the missionary of Appledale," said Fanny. "Mr. Cotting will have to give up his office, or take Miss Lindsay as colleague."
Fanny knew that Emma was near enough to hear these remarks, but she did not know for what intent the feeble girl had taxed her strength in walking so far to see her.
The old peddler was now sadly putting his things back into his box; and Fanny, looking at him a moment, felt the injustice of causing him so much trouble for nothing: so she said to him, "Wait a moment—I will take some of your knickknacks, though they are not worth buying;" and she put into his hand a bill to pay for some articles which she hastily selected.
The old man thanked her, and his hand trembled as he gave her the change. Then he took up his heavy box, and Emma handed him the straps which fastened it upon his shoulders.
"Is it very heavy?" she asked.
"Yes," was the reply, "it is; but I am used to heavy burdens."
"Well, the burden and heat of your life's day is almost over," said
Emma, as, assisted by Mary, she drew the strap firmly into the buckle.
"Then, sir, if you are a Christian, you will rest."
"I know it," said the old man; "I know it, child:" and he looked at
Emma, as though she had given him something better than silver or gold.